City Council invokes Water Shortage Contingency Plan

A Water Shortage Contingency plan has been enacted to comply with state regulations, including declaring a Stage One, Water Alert.

The state regulations, adopted July 15, require all urban water suppliers, to impose mandatory water use restrictions by invoking water shortage contingency plans.

"We are acting in accordance with direction from the state of California tonight," said Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard Tuesday as the City Council took the action.

Water Conservation Coordinator Dawn Calciano noted that there has been a 27 percent reduction in water use for July of 2014 compared to July 2013.

"This community has really stepped up and followed the voluntary reduction that we asked for," she said. "We are moving forward with the state reduction because it's mandated."

She said that "A Stage One, Water Alert would require water users to reduce water use by 10 percent."

Stallard said this is a big step."We are so anxious to hear from the public about anything observed that doesn't seem right," he said.

The vote was 5-0.

Calciano thanked the public for notifying the city when they see water waste. "We can't be everywhere all of the time," she said. "When people let us know we are able to take care of things that we might not have known were happening."

According to Calciano, the mandatory measures must include restrictions on outdoor irrigation, washing down driveways, as well as shutting down fountains and water features unless they're part of a recirculating system.

She noted that people have been asking if the 10 percent reduction is on top of the voluntary 20 percent reduction.

"No it isn't," she said. "We are still requesting an overall voluntary 20 percent reduction, but 10 percent is mandatory and the additional 10 percent is voluntary."

She said that the state's regulations "prohibit certain things from all water users."

This includes "using potable water for outdoor landscapes causing runoff to flow, the use of a hose that uses potable water to wash a car unless it is fitted with a shut-off nozzle, the application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks unless its a health and safety concern and the use of potable water in a fountain or other water feauture except where the water is part of a recirculating system," she continued.

Calciano said that the other restrictions include the 10 percent reduction and that restaurants only serve water on request.

Over the past six months — as the state's drought crisis has gotten worse — the city has worked to educate people about conserving water.

Following the council's decision, water customers will receive information about the mandatory water conservation measures with their September utility bills.

"Although much general media and public attention has been focused on the potential for fines for violations of water conservation requirements, the city has not issued or threatened any fines or citations," she noted. "City staff will continue to emphasize an educational approach in responding to water waste concerns," she added.

The city plans to offer a fall "fix-a-leak" workshop as a complement to the city's well-attended spring workshop series on outdoor water conservation and the June water-wise home landscape tour.

The city also asks the public to continue to help reduce waste by reporting broken sprinklers and valves observed in parks and other city-maintained areas. Reports can be made by calling the Municipal Service Center at 661-5962 or e-mailing pubworks@cityofwoodland.org.

"Woodlanders have already stepped up and done more than what the state is asking," Calciano said. "This is really for those people that haven't cut back," she said.

"When people save water, they save money," added Stallard.

Previously, Calciano has noted residents are working to reduce water use. From April through June of this year, the city's average water use was 18 percent less than the average April-June use over the past three years. In July it was 27 percent than the previous year.

Since April alone, city wells have dropped a record 60 feet.

"The June 2014 level is -69 feet (below sea level), the lowest June level ever recorded," Calciano said in early July. "The 30-year historic average groundwater level is -34 feet, the level during the 1977 drought was -48 feet, and the level during the pre-2014 historic low in 2012 was -59 feet."

The city relies entirely on groundwater for its water supply and monitors wells to determine availability. As water levels drop, some of the city's 19 wells have become unusable due to the quantity of dissolved minerals.